Researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy report in a new study published in the journal Nature Communications on October 3 that where you reside has a significant impact on your decision to drink a sugary drink. While an analysis of the Global Dietary Database for the years 1990, 2005, and 2018 found overall consumption of sweetened beverages increased—by nearly 16% worldwide over the 28 years studied—regional intake significantly varied.
Because they are widely associated with obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, which are among the leading causes of mortality and lost years of disability worldwide, sugary drinks are a public health concern. Many national guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to less than 5 to 10 per cent of daily calories, and because sodas contribute no nutritional value, their consumption is taxed in some nations to help their citizens meet this goal.
The study is the most recent snapshot of how individuals in 185 countries consume sugar-sweetened beverages, namely soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices, punch, lemonade, and aguas frescas, with over 50 calories per serving (8 ounces). Intakes varied greatly by region of the globe. In 2018, the average individual consumed 2.7 servings of sugary beverages per week, ranging from 0.7 in South Asia to 7.8 in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Global intakes were higher in males versus females and in younger versus older people, but the impact of education and rural/urban residency was influenced more by region of origin. Adults with a higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages. In contrast, the opposite was true in the Middle East/North Africa. Overall, metropolitan, highly educated adults in Sub-Saharan Africa (12.4 servings per week) and Latin America/the Caribbean (8.5 servings per week) had some of the highest sugary drink intakes in the world.
On a national scale, Mexico (8.9), Ethiopia (7.1), the United States (4.9), and Nigeria (4.9) consumed the most sweetened drink servings per week, whereas India, China, and Bangladesh (each 0.2) consumed the least.
Latin America/Caribbean had the largest intakes at all time points despite an overall decrease over time, and Sub-Saharan Africa had the greatest increases across all time points, according to Laura Lara-Castor, a PhD candidate in the Nutrition Epidemiology and Data Science programme at the Friedman School and the study’s first author. She adds that these findings imply that additional research is required, particularly concerning successful interventions such as marketing regulations, food labelling, and soda taxation.
The Global Dietary Database, which compiles the results of hundreds of surveys on what people consume and drink, revealed a correlation between sugary beverages and socioeconomic status. Between 1990 and 2018, Sub-Saharan Africa experienced the greatest increase in consumption (+2.9; +81.9%). By 2018, high-income countries and Latin America’s/the Caribbean’s intakes will have returned close to their 1990 levels. Other world regions experienced more modest and consistent growth over time. Similar patterns were observed by sex, age, level of education, and residential location.
While the study did not identify the causes of these trends, the researchers hypothesise that they may be related to the effectiveness of targeted marketing strategies employed by the beverage and food industries, the association of Western diets with high social status, and access to water.
According to Lara-Castor, soda can reach the most remote locations, and in countries where access to pure water is limited, these beverages may be the only option available.
According to Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School, sugar-sweetened beverages have increased despite efforts to decrease their appeal.
He added that certain populations are particularly vulnerable, and the findings provide evidence to support the need for and the development of national and more targeted policies to reduce their global intake.
According to the researchers, more research is required to evaluate sugary drink consumption in children and adolescents, measure the impact of soda taxes globally, and better understand the differences between the subpopulations of each country. Additionally, the team wishes to investigate how milk, coffee, and tea influence consumption patterns.
The Gates Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the National Council of Science and Technology in Mexico supported this article.
